Articulated apparatus and scaffold therefor

ABSTRACT

An articulated apparatus and scaffold platform therefor especially useful in connection with removing scaffolding from or painting the underside of a bridge or the like. The apparatus is intended to be mounted on a cart or other portable equipment so as to be readily transported over a highway. The articulation of the apparatus makes it possible for the apparatus to find relatively wide usage in accomplishing numerous tasks which must be performed by workmen who can stand on a suspended scaffold or temporary platform with a reasonable range of activity while still coming within the legal height and width requirements for travel over a highway.

United States Patent [191 Lindsay, Jr. Nov. 27, 1973 [54] ARTICULATEDAPPARATUS AND 3,608,669 9/1971 Lindsay 182/14 SCAFFOLD THEREFOR PrimaryExaminer-Reinaldo P. Machado [75] Inventor. biwis Lee Lindsay, Jr.,Clarksville, Atmmey warren N. Low et aL [73] Assignee: Bridge Painting,Inc., Clarksville, [57] ABSTRACT An articulated apparatus and scaffoldplatform there- [22] Fil d; M 17, 1972 for especially useful inconnection with removing scaffolding from or painting the underside of abridge or [21] Appl 253334 the like. The apparatus is intended to bemounted on a cart or other portable equipment so as to be readily 52 US.Cl 182/63, 182/145, 182 223 transported 0ver a y- The articulation ofthe [51] int. Cl. E04g 1/22 apparatus makes it p e or e pp r s to find[58] Field of Search 182/63, 150, 36, relatively wide usage inaccomplishing numerous tasks 182/37, 152, 223, 131, 145 which must beperformed by workmen who can stand on a suspended scaffold or temporaryplatform with a [56] Referen es Ci reasonable range of activity whilestill coming within UNITED STATES PATENTS the legal height and widthrequirements for travel over h 3,033,389 5/1962 Abarotin 182/150 alghway 3,493,079 2/ I970 Dudschus 182/163 14 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures3.774.719 SHEET ZUF 4 PATENTEUNUY 27 I975 Fig. 2

72 Fig. 6

ARTICULATED APPARATUS AND SCAFFOLD THEREFOR This invention relates to anarticulated apparatus and scaffold platform therefor, and moreparticularly, to an articulated apparatus and scaffold platform whichpermits workmen to work on various tasks beneath and along the sides ofbridges or the like. For example, the apparatus of the present inventionmay be used in erecting and removing scaffolding or temporary supports,painting or inspection of bridges or the like.

vI-Ieretofore it has been known to provide suspended temporary supportsfor workmen'beneath bridges. For example, in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,669,issued Sept. 28, 1971, entitled BRIDGE PAINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD,there is illustrated one relatively sophisticated apparatusfor providinga suspended temporary support for workmen beneath bridges.

The present invention provides a much simpler construction which can bemanufactured for substantially less money than my previous invention.Thus while my previous invention was incorporated in a power drivenself-contained unit, it is intended that the present invention merely beplaced on a cart or other portable unit which may be drawn by othermotorized equipment. While the power to operate my previous inventionwas derived directly from the vehicle by which it was transported, thepresent invention may in the main be operated manually though poweroperated assists may be used.

Furthermore, while my previous invention was designed with scaffoldswhich had a range to paint at least half the underside of any suspensionbridge that may be encountered, the range of the scaffold of the presentinvention is considerably less and, insofar as painting is concerned, iscapable only of minor touch-ups or re pairs of only limited areas on theunderside of the bridge. Thus it will be apparent that the presentinvention is by no means intended to supplant or be used as a substitutefor my previous invention but there are, nevertheless, many tasksincluding touching up painting, erection and removal of temporaryscaffolding, and inspection functions where the present invention is atleast a useful adjunct to my previous invention.

The articulated apparatus of the present invention is intended to bemounted on a portable carriage frame and to be provided with fifth wheelmeans or the like whereby first and second slidable frame members may berotated as a unit with respect to the portable carriage frame. One ofthe slidable frame members carries a pair of split collar membersthrough which boom means are slidable so as to raise and lower scaffoldmeans carried at the bottom of the boom means.

The scaffold platform itself is novel inthat while in normal usage it isconsiderably wider than the legal width requirements for travel over ahighway, it is provided with a pair of extension scaffold portions whichmay be folded upwardly and inwardly toward a centrally disposed mainscaffold portion whereby the scaffold construction comes within thelegal width requirements for travel over a highway.

As a special feature which lends itself to a relatively small andtherefore inexpensive apparatus, the scaffold platform is provided withfront and rear sections with hinge means therebetween which permits thefront section to be folded upwardly and rearwardly toward the rearsection whereby the scaffold apparatus will clear 2 a side wall of abridge with a lesser extension of the slidable frame members. Therefore,the range of a given sized articulated apparatus is extended in that thescaffold remains closer to the center of gravity for the apparatusitself.

The inherent advantages and improvements of the present invention willbecome more readily apparent upon considering the following detaileddescription of the invention and by reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the articulated apparatus andscaffold platform therefor illustrated in its road-traversing position;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the articulated apparatus and scaffoldplatform of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus and scaffold platformof FIG. 1 shown in position after the apparatus has been rotated throughand the scaffold lowered over the side of the bridge;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary rear elevational view. similar to FIG. 2 butshowing the apparatus rotated 90 and the scaffold platform in theprocess of being lowered with a front portion of the scaffoldconstruction raised;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view similar to FIG. 4 but showing thefront section of the scaffold apparatus lowered and ready for use;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the articulated apparatus ofFIG. 1 showing one embodiment of the boom reinforcing frame;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to FIG. 6 but showinganother embodiment of the boom reinforcing frame;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary rear elevational view showing a split collarmember on the end of a frame member; and,

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of the scaffold constructionitself as seen in horizontal cross section along line 9-9 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated anarticulated apparatus indicated generally at 20 with the hindmostportion of any suitable propulsion means indicated generally at 22. Thepropulsion means 22 may constitute a truck or tractor device and may beprovided with any suitable draft means 24 suitably attached to a matingdraft means 26 on the articulated apparatus 20. In order to make thearticulated apparatus 20 portable and traversable over a highway, it isprovided with suitable tire means 28 engageable with the surface 30 of abridge indicated generally at 32. The articulated apparatus 20 isprovided with front and rear axles 34, 36 with a suitable truck bedframe or the like indicated generally at 38 which includes a pair ofspaced I-beams 40. Beneath the I-beams 40 are illustrated suitableangled bracing members 41 and a longitudinally extending bracing member42.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a transverse brace member 43between the pair of spaced I-beams 40. A conventional rotatablefifth-wheel means 44 is mounted atop the I-beams 40 whereby theapparatus is capable of being rotated through any desired amount ofrotation such as through 90 from the highway traversing positionillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 to a position in FIG. 3 whereby thescaffold apparatus of the present invention may be lowered over the sideof bridge 32 or other obstruction.

Mounted above the rotatable fifth-wheel means 44 and preferably fixedlysecured thereto are a pair of I- beams 46 suitably cross braced bymembers 48 shown in phantom in FIG. 1 and in full line position in FIG.3. A pair of slidable I-beam members 50 are mounted directly above thepair of I-beam members 46. I-beams 46 and 50 constitute first and secondframe members slidable horizontally with respect to each other. As hasbeen indicated previously, the mode of power for the slidable motionbetween the I-beam members 46 and 50 may be supplied manually or withsuitable power adjuncts. A cross brace 51 shown in phantom at the leftend of l-beams 50 in FIG. 1 constitutes a stop for the I-beams 50against a cross-bar member 54 which constitutes a counterweight. Thel-beams themselves are slidable with respect to each other with the aidof slide guide members 52 shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 8.

Fixedly attached to the rearmost end of the slidable I-beam members 50when viewed in FIG. 1 are a pair of split collar members 56 which, asbest shown in FIG. 8, has a longitudinally extending split or slot 57.This construction facilitates the vertical sliding movement of a pair ofboom members 58 through the split collar members 56 in such a mannerthat rearwardly extending brace members 60 of a reinforcing frameindicated generally at 61 may pass readily therethrough. In this manner,the scaffold means may be lowered over the side of a bridge in a mannerto be described more fully hereinafter.

The reinforcing frame 61 in addition to the rearwardly extending bracemember 60 includes vertically extending member 62, cross brace member 64and rear bracing members 65. As illustrated best in FIG. 6, frame 61 issubstantially U-shaped in plan view with the rear bracing members 65being removed from and substantially parallel to a plane which containsthe split collar members 56.

Referring now to FIG. 9, there is illustrated the detailed constructionof the scaffold itself which is indicated generally at 66. Thus there isshown a centrally located rear portion suitably attached to the bottomof the parallel boom members 58. A longitudinally extending hinge means70 divides the scaffold into forward and rear sections with a centrallylocated forward portion 72 being disposed opposite a centrally locatedrear portion 68. The scaffold is provided with a pair of rear lateralextension portions 74 connected by suitable hinge means 76 to thecentral rear portion 68. Forward lateral extension portions 78 aredisposed on the opposite sides of hinge means 70 and are connected byhinge means 80 to opposite marginal edges of the central forward portion72. Thus it becomes possible for the lateral extension portions 74 and78 to fold along fold lines 81 in order to permit the scaffoldconstruction to fall within the legal width requirements for travel overa highway. It also becomes possible to fold the scaffold platform alongthe hinge means 70 in order to permit the scaffold construction to morereadily clear a given abutment with a lesser extension of the framemembers 46 and 50. This is illustrated in FIG. 4 with the scaffold 66having its forward portions folded upwardly and rearwardly so as tosubstantially abut the boom means 58.

The scaffold platform is provided with suitable tie down rods 82 asshown in FIGS. 1 and 5 which permit the ready securement of the lateralextensions 74 and 78 when the scaffold platform is in road traversingposition. The boom means 58 is also provided with a knuckle joint 84illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4, 5, and 7 whereby the articulated apparatusfalls within the legal height requirement for travel over a highway whenthe boom is folded from the phantom position in FIG. 1 to its full lineposition therein.

The reinforcing frame 61 illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 is utilized incombination with a split collar member construction 56 in which thelongitudinally extending splits 57 extend rearwardly from the pair ofslidable lbeam members 50 with which they are associated.

As a modification, it becomes possible in accordance with the presentinvention to mount the split collar members 56 on their associatedslidable l-beam members 50 so that the longitudinally extending splits57 face each other whereby a reinforcing frame construction indicatedgenerally at 86 may be used which is located substantially in the planeof the splits 57 of the split collar members 56. This modification isshown in FIG. 7.

In operation, the articulated apparatus 20 is drawn to the site of thebridge or the like by a suitable propulsion means 22. The tie down means81 are released thereby permitting the lateral extensions 74 and 78 tobe folded outwardly along lines 81 so that the scaffold 66 is in theposition shown in FIG. 9. The apparatus is rotated through approximately90 with the aid of the fifth wheel means 44. The I-beam frame members 46and 50 are then slid with respect to one another so as to extend thescaffold construction over the side of the bridge 32 or the like. Theboom is pivoted about its knuckle joint 84 whereby the boom 58 may passthrough the split 57 in the split collar members 56 thereby lowering thescaffold over the side of the bridge.

For a given size counterweight 54 it sometimes becomes necessary toelevate the forward portion of the scaffold 66 such as illustrated inFIG. 4 in order to permit the scaffold to be lowered into position andwithout unduly extending the slidable member 50 with respect to member46. When the scaffold platform clears the bottom of the bridge 32, thescaffold 66 is folded about hinge means thereby lowering the forwardsections and presenting a flat surface on which workmen may walk. Thisposition is illustrated in FIG. 5.

The apparatus is manipulated in the reverse manner in order to fold theapparatus into road traversing position. That is, first the boom means58 are elevated with the forward section of the scaffold construction 66being folded into a vertical position whenever the scaffold will notclear the side of the bridge or other abutment means. When the knucklejoint 84 has cleared the upper extremity of split collar members 56, thereinforcing frames 61 or 86 are folded forwardly so that the boom means58 overlies the upper surface of slidable I-beam members 50. The lateralextensions 74 and 78 of the scaffold constructions 66 are folded aboutfold line 81 and the scaffold construction secured in place with the aidof tie down rods 82. The slidable l-beam 50 is moved forwardly untilcross brace 51 contacts the counterweight 54. It will be observed thatthe scaffold 66 nests substantially in line with and behind slidablel-beam members 46 and substantially beneath I-beam members 50. Therotatable fifth wheel means 44 is then rotated through so as to positioncounterweight 54 in the forward position illustrated in FIG. 1. Aftersecurement of the draft means 24 and 26 the articulated apparatus isthen ready to be drawn over the highway.

While presently preferred embodiments of the invention have beenillustrated and described, it will be recognized that the invention maybe otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of theclaims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. An articulated apparatus which is capable of being folded atop aportable frame so as to be within the legal height and widthrequirements for travel over a highway, said apparatus comprising:

a. a portable carriage frame,

b. fifth wheel means carried by said portable carriage frame,

0. first and second frame members slidable horizontally with respect toeach other and mounted atop said fifth wheel means and capable of beingrotated with respect to said portable carriage frame,

d. a pair of split collar members carried in laterally spaced relationon one of said frame members,

e. boom means slidable vertically within said split collar members,

f. and scaffold means carried on the bottom of said boom means.

2. An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said boommeans carry a reinforcing frame means which contains bracing meansattached to said boom means with said bracing means being slidablevertically through the splits in said split collar members.

3. An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said boommeans is provided with articulation means whereby said boom means iscapable of being folded forwardly atop said first and second framemembers to be within the legal height requirements for travel over ahighway.

4. An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said scaffoldmeans includes at least one lateral extension hingedly secured to acentral portion of said scaffold means whereby said lateral extensionmay be folded to be within the legal width requirements for travel overa highway.

5. An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said scaffoldmeans includes a longitudinally extending forward portion and alongitudinally extending rear portion with said longitudinally extendingportions being hingedly secured to each other and whereby said forwardportion may be folded toward said rear portion when said boom means isbeing lowered over the side of a bridge or like objects therebypermitting the clearance of such objects with less relative slidingmovement between said first and second frame members.

6. An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 1 includingcounterweight means carried by one of said frame members.

7. An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said firstframe member is fixedly attached to said fifth wheel means and saidsecond frame member is stacked vertically above said first frame member.

8. An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said secondframe member overhangs a rear portion of said first frame member whensaid apparatus is in position for legal travel over a highway and saidscaffold means is nested substantially in line with and behind saidfirst frame member and substantially beneath said second frame member.

9. An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said firstframe member carries a counterweight means at one end thereof.

10. An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each splitcollar member has a split portion which faces rearwardly from itsassociated frame member and said boom means carries a reinforcing framemeans which extends out of a plane which passes through said splitcollar members when said boom means is vertical.

11. An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each splitcollar member has a split portion which faces the split portion of theother split collar member and said boom means carries a reinforcingframe means which lies substantially within a plane which passes throughsaid split collar members when said boom means is vertical.

12. In a scaffold platform capable of being suspended beneath bridges orthe like and capable of permitting workmen to stand thereon, thecombination comprising:

a. boom means for raising and lowering said scaffold platform,

b. a centrally disposed main scaffold platform section suspended fromsaid boom means,

c. a pair of extension scaffold platform sections positioned laterallywith respect to said centrally disposed scaffold platform section andadjacent opposed marginal edges thereof,

a. each of said extension scaffold platform sections being hingedlysecured to a respective adjacent marginal edge of said main scaffoldplatform section whereby each extension scaffold platform section may befolded upwardly and inwardly toward said centrally disposed mainscaffold platform section whereby said scaffold platform is within thelegal width requirements for travel over a highway.

13. A scaffold platform as defined in claim 12 wherein said centrallydisposed main scaffold platform section and each of said extensionscaffold platform sections are provided with articulation means whichpermit the folding of each section of the scaffold platform from frontto rear at substantially right angles to the opposed marginal edges ofthe centrally disposed main section to which said extension platformsections are hingedly secured.

14. A scaffold platform as defined in claim 12 wherein each scaffoldplatform section is folded about a line of articulation which extendslongitudinally across the entire scaffold platform with each line ofarticulation on each scaffold platform section being substantially inline with a line of articulation of an adjacent scaffold platformsection.

* II i

1. An articulated apparatus which is capable of being folded atop aportable frame so as to be within the legal height and widthrequirements for travel over a highway, said apparatus comprising: a. aportable carriage frame, b. fifth wheel means carried by said portablecarriage frame, c. first and second frame members slidable horizontallywith respect to each other and mounted atop said fifth wheel means andcapable of being rotated with respect to said portable carriage frame,d. a pair of split collar members carried in laterally spaced relationon one of said frame members, e. boom means slidable vertically withinsaid split collar members, f. and scaffold means carried on the bottomof said boom means.
 2. An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 1wherein said boom means carry a reinforcing frame means which containsbracing means attached to said boom means with said bracing means beingslidable vertically through the splits in said split collar members. 3.An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said boom meansis provided with articulation means whereby said boom means is capableof being folded forwardly atop said first and second frame members to bewithin the legal height requirements for travel over a highway.
 4. Anarticulated apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said scaffold meansincludes at least one lateral extension hingedly secured to a centralportion of said scaffold means whereby said lateral extension may befolded to be within the legal width requirements for travel over ahighway.
 5. An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein saidscaffold means includes a longitudinally extending forward portion and alongitudinally extending rear portion with said longitudinally extendingportions being hingedly secured to each other and whereby said forwardportion may be folded toward said rear portion when said boom means isbeing lowered over the side of a bridge or like objects therebypermitting the clearance of such objects with less relative slidingmovement between said first and second frame members.
 6. An articulatedapparatus as defined in claim 1 including counterweight means carried byone of said frame members.
 7. An articulated apparatus as defined inclaim 1 wherein said first frame member is fixedly attached to saidfifth wheel means and said second frame member is stacked verticallyabove said first frame member.
 8. An articulated apparatus as defined inclaim 7 wherein said second frame member overhangs a rear portion ofsaid first frame member when said apparatus is in position for legaltravel over a highway and said scaffold means is nested substantially inline with and behind said first frame member and substantially beneathsaid second frame member.
 9. An articulated apparatus as defined inclaim 7 wherein said first frame member carries a counterweight means atone end thereof.
 10. An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 1wherein each split collar member has a split portion which facesrearwardly from its associated frame member and said boom means carriesa reinforcing frame means which extends out of a plane which passesthrough said split collar members when said boom means is vertical. 11.An articulated apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each split collarmember has a split portion which faces the split portion of the othersplit collar member and said boom means carries a reinforcing framemeans which lies substantially within a plane which passes through saidsplit collar members when said boom means is vertical.
 12. In a scaffoldplatform capable of being suspended beneath bridges or the like andcapable of permitting workmen to stand thereon, the combinationcomprising: a. boom means for raising and lowering said scaffoldplatform, b. a centrally disposed main scaffold platform sectionsuspended from said boom means, c. a pair of extension scaffold platformsections positioned laterally with respect to said centrally disposedscaffold platform section and adjacent opposed marginal edges thereof,d. each of said extension scaffold platform sections being hingedlysecured to a respective adjacent marginal edge of said main scaffoldplatform section whereby each extension scaffold platform section may befolded upwardly and inwardly toward said centrally disposed mainscaffold platform section whereby said scaffold platform is within thelegal width requirements for travel over a highway.
 13. A scaffoldplatform as defined in claim 12 wherein said centrally disposed mainscaffold platform section and each of said extension scaffold platformsections are provided with articulation means which permit the foldingof each section of the scaffold platform from front to rear atsubstantIally right angles to the opposed marginal edges of thecentrally disposed main section to which said extension platformsections are hingedly secured.
 14. A scaffold platform as defined inclaim 12 wherein each scaffold platform section is folded about a lineof articulation which extends longitudinally across the entire scaffoldplatform with each line of articulation on each scaffold platformsection being substantially in line with a line of articulation of anadjacent scaffold platform section.